


It's Hard to Move On

by BearMiya90



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25880308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BearMiya90/pseuds/BearMiya90
Summary: Since college, Nino had always loved someone. However, it was an unrequited feeling and he had a hard time moving on from his first love.
Relationships: Ninomiya Kazunari/Ohno Satoshi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

Nino sighed in relief after he clicked the 'save' button. He had finished his report on the latest software he developed. He felt so happy, knowing that he will be able to spend his weekend playing games without thinking about his work.

"Nino?"

Nino turned around when he heard a soft voice calling him. It was the voice of the CEO of the company he currently worked at. His name is Ohno Satoshi. Ohno is only three years older than him. Yet, he had become a CEO at a young age, and Nino admired him for that. Granted, Ohno inherited the company from his father, but he was still doing a good job.

"Ohchan," said Nino, smiling softly at his boss. 

The boss always had a soft spot for him. Yes, he was kind to everyone else, but only Nino was allowed to call him ‘Ohchan’. It was a funny story of how he ended up calling his boss with the nickname.

They met about two years ago. Their meeting happened during the first month of Nino’s employment at the company after he decided to change his job. On the day of their first meeting, he ended up going home late, trying to finish his work. As soon as he finished his work, he quickly packed his stuff. He was in a hurry, and it caused him to bump into a small guy, around his height with darker skin tone than him and chubby cheek. 

"I'm sorry," he immediately apologised.

"It's okay. I was at fault too," said the guy. "Why are you still here? It's almost 10 pm,"

"I have work to do. How about you?" Asked Nino. He felt at ease talking with the other guy even though he didn't know him.

"Same," answered the guy, looking awkward. 

"I'm Ninomiya Kazunari. You can call me Nino. What's your name?"

"Ohno Satoshi," answered the guy. Nino couldn't control himself from laughing, believing the guy was lying to him. This guy cannot be Ohno Satoshi. He knew Ohno was the CEO of the company, and he was pretty sure Ohno was a grumpy older man, unlike the young man standing in front of him. 

"Why are you laughing?" Asked the man, looking bewildered with his sudden laugh. 

"I never met our boss. But, I'm pretty sure he is an ojiichan. Not someone like you," he explained. Ohno was silent for a moment before he spoke again in a small voice. 

"But I'm him," 

"Yeah, right. You don't get to be Ohno-sama. You're Ohchan,"

And that's what he had been calling Ohno each time they bumped into each other whenever he went home late. Nino was too ignorant to notice that he never see Ohno in the day even though he wondered which department he was working at. He knew the truth three months after their first encounter. He was requested by the department head to make a presentation for their new software to the CEO. The head department warned him not to screw up because the CEO personally requested him. 

When he entered the seminar room on the day of the presentation, he was surprised to see Ohno was among the participants. Even worse, he was sitting in the middle of the first row. Nino suddenly remembered what Ohno said in their first meeting, and everything started to make sense. No wonder he never sees Ohno during the day. Ohno's office is on the top floor, and there's no way Ohno will have his lunch in the cafeteria with other workers. Thinking that he was screwed because of his ignorance, he really wished he could hide. How could he be so ignorant that he didn't know his boss? 

But, he tried to get rid of his personal feeling and thankfully, managed to give an excellent presentation. Ohno looked impressed with his work and personally congratulated him when they met again a few days later. As always, it happened when he went home late. It was awkward because Nino started to act formally with Ohno, but Ohno didn't like that and asked him to call him Ohchan like always. Though he knew it wasn't appropriate, he complied to the request. 

"Going home late again? It's Friday night," said Ohno. 

Nino chuckled to hear what his boss said. He asked Nino what he was doing in the office on a Friday night. Yet, he also did the same thing. 

"You are right. Let's go home," Nino said to his boss, who nodded his head. He still needed to revise his report but decided to do it on Monday.

"As we both are lonely guys on a Friday night, why don't we have dinner together? It's only 9 pm," suggested his boss. 

Nino thought for a while. It seemed like a good idea to celebrate the completion of his work. Hopefully, nobody will see them because he knew everyone in the office loves to gossip about them. Ever since they heard him calling Ohno, Ohchan.

"Sure, where should we go?"

  
  
  
  
  
  


"So, what are you working on just now?" Asked Ohno as they waited for their order to arrive. 

Before Nino could answer his boss, his phone rang. Without looking at the caller ID, he answered the call, thinking it will be his best friend, Aiba.

"Moshi Moshi," he greeted the caller. 

"Brat," his expression immediately changed when he heard the voice. To listen to it once again brought out mixed emotion for him. He hadn’t talked to the guy on the other end for almost a year. Sure, Nino missed the caller, but he had been avoiding the caller for a reason. 

"J, how are you?" He tried to sound like his usual self.

"Fine. Hey, brat, can I meet you today?" Asked the other guy. 

"Ah, I'm sorry. I have something to do today,"

"A date?" Asked the other guy with a chuckle. 

Nino always loves the way he chuckled. It was the best melody he ever heard.

"No. Just going out with a friend," 

"Okay. Anyway, I want to tell you something today. Can I tell you over the phone? I want you to be the first person to know. 

"Sure,"

To be honest, he didn't want to hear what the other guy was going to tell him. He had a hunch. His hunch whispered to him that he would be sad to hear the news.

"I'm getting married," announced the other guy happily. Nino's heart almost stopped to hear that. Though he knew this was going to happen, he can never be prepared to accept the news. 

"Congratulations," he tried to sound happy.

"Thanks, brat. Let's meet soon. I haven't met you for a while. I miss you so much," 

"Sure. Let's schedule a meeting soon," Nino told the guy before he ended the call. He couldn't take it anymore. He was afraid that he was going to cry and the guy will know the secret that he had been keeping for so long. 

"Nino..." another voice called him softly. He turned to look at Ohno and realised that his boss just watched how he handled the call. Crap! He might not know what is it about, but he knew something was wrong. 

"Are you okay?" 

"Yes. I just need to go to the toilet," 

He left immediately to the toilet, hiding in one of the stalls. He cannot stop tears from flowing. Why? Why did this happen to him? Why did he fall in love with his friend? 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


He came out a few minutes after. The waiter already served the food, but Ohno hasn't eaten yet. His boss looked worried, and it made Nino feel bad. 

"Hi," he tried to appear cheerful as he sat in his place again. Ohno was relieved to see him. 

"Are you okay?" Once again, Ohno asked the same question. Nino could only smile. He didn't know what to tell the other person. 

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," said Ohno. "Just to let you know, I'm here if you need anybody," 

"I'm okay. I received a little bad news. Just need time to accept it," Nino explained. "Don't worry, okay," 

Ohno nodded his head and smiled at him. He didn't ask any further, and Nino was thankful for that. If someone else was with him when he received the news, they're probably going to push him to talk about it. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Nino woke up with a headache. Gosh! His head was spinning, trying to remember what happened to him. The last thing he remembered was telling Ohno he wanted to go to the bar to drink. He tried to forget his sorrow with drinks. 

He opened his eyes widely when he noticed he was not sleeping in his room. It was different. Instead of his plain white wall, he was in a room with a blue wall and a few paintings on it. Oh, crap! Don't tell him… He went home with a stranger because he was drunk. 

But, Nino didn't feel anything. He only had a headache because of his hangover. Nino was still wearing his clothes, minus the coat, which was on the chair. He slowly stood up, trying to see where he was. 

"Ouch!" He heard a voice outside. It was oddly familiar. He quickly went out to see who it was. 

He sighed in relief when he saw Ohno in the kitchen, putting the finger on his mouth. He approached the other guy and saw the reason for his little scream just now. He accidentally cut his finger while cutting apples.

"Ohchan, let me see your hand," he asked, taking Ohno's hand without waiting for a reply. He examined the cut and saw it wasn't that bad. 

"Let's clean the cut first. Then I will put a band-aid on it, okay? Where do you put your medical kit?" He asked the other guy. Ohno pointed to a drawer, and he immediately went to take it. 

"There… Done!" said Nino once he finished the treatment. 

"Thanks," said Ohno as he inspected his wounded fingers. Nino took the time to stare at him. He didn't notice it before, but now, he realised the colour of Ohno's eyes is a beautiful shade of brown.

"Your eyes are beautiful," he blurted it out before he could stop himself. Ohno was momentarily frozen to hear that before his face turned red. 

"Thanks, I guess," was Ohno's awkward response. 

"So, this is your house," said Nino, trying to change the topic. He scanned the house. It looked simple and organised, just like Ohno himself. "How did I get here?" 

"You were drunk, and I don't know where your house is. So, I brought you here," answered Ohno. It was just like his expectation.

"Did I do anything stupid?" He asked worriedly. He tended to do stupid things when he was drunk, so that's why he avoided drinking. 

"Nothiiiing," Ohno's voice was a bit squeaky as he answered. Nino looked at him suspiciously, knowing Ohno was lying.

"Spill it out! What did I do?" He asked once again. Ohno looked a bit reluctant to answer, but when Nino looked at him intensely, he started talking about yesterday. 

"You told me your personal story," answered Ohno in a soft voice. It was barely audible. 

"What?" Nino asked once again, hoping that he heard wrongly. 

"Personal story. I know why you are sad," answered Ohno. Nino started to be panic. What exactly did he tell his boss?

"What... Really? Damn!" He found it hard to form a sentence. He didn't know what he was going to say. He had been telling Ohno something that he will never tell anyone else. Not even to his best friend. 

"Relax. I won't tell anyone else. You can trust me," Ohno said to him. He looked at the other guy. He didn't know much about Ohno, but something in his heart told him that he could trust his boss. Furthermore, it's already happened. There's nothing he can do to undo it. 

"What did I tell you?" He asked his boss. 

"Hmmm..." His boss began. "There is a guy. You called him J, sometimes you called him a diva. You know him in college and then fall in love with him. He called you yesterday to tell you he's getting married," 

"That's all?" Asked Nino, though it was pretty much everything.

"Well, you talked in detail about how you met him, what makes you fall in love with him,"

Nino smacked his face. Crap! He talked too much. Ohno must be bored to hear him talking about his love. 

"Ne, Nino, there's nothing to be ashamed about that. I know how painful unrequited love is. I don't know how to comfort you, but I believe you will meet someone who will make you happy one day. Someone who will truly love you,"

"I have been trying to forget him for years," He didn't know what prompted him to suddenly talk about his love story again. Sober, this time. "Avoiding him doesn't seem to work. I still love him. I know I should try to meet new people. But, I doubt anyone will like me. I mean, I don't have anything to be proud of. I'm short; I don't have a nice figure like you. My belly is very round. People will not like me because I'm bratty and... Well... A lot of shortcomings. I guess I will be alone forever," 

He ended up telling Ohno things that he was worried about. Once he started to express himself, he found it hard to stop. Ohno, on the other hand, simply listened to him.

"Don't think of yourself that way. You might not notice it, but maybe there is someone who loves you,"

"Hahaha. That's impossible,"

"You may think that you have nothing that will make people love you. But, you're wrong. You're smart, always make people feel comfortable around you and.... The cutest man I've ever seen," 

"Cute is for a child. I want to be called handsome," 

"Okay, then. The most handsome guy,"

Nino found himself smiling to hear that. He sounded childish, but he was glad Ohno was willing to play along with his childishness. 

"Okay enough about me. How about you? Are you dating anyone right now? Bet she is the luckiest person because she gets the sexiest man I've ever met,"

It was the first time Nino saw Ohno wearing something else other than his suits. He was simply wearing a t-shirt with sweatpants, but from the way the shirt clung to his body, he could see Ohno had quite a sexy figure. 

"Sexy? That's the first time I heard someone said that about me,"

"Well, maybe because they never see you like this. So, about what I ask..."

Ohno smiled softly at him, but what he said next surprised Nino. Ohno said it with no hint of sadness at all. 

"My love story ends before it could even start," 

It was weird to hear. So, Ohno also experienced a sad love story like him. Nino was curious to know about it but judging from Ohno's tone of voice; he didn't want to talk about it. Nino suppressed the need to ask for more, knowing that there was an invisible boundary between them. 

"I guess I better go home now," he told his boss. But, honestly, he was too lazy to go out. He always spent his weekend indoors, but it seemed that he had to go out today. 

"It's raining outside," said his boss. "Maybe you can eat first. I make you breakfast," 

Ohno pointed at a plate of toast on the table. Nino was reluctant to stay at another person's house, but he was even lazier to go out. Furthermore, Ohno's apartment looked comfortable, making him even more sluggish to move. So, he decided to stay for a while, at least until the rain stops. 

"I'll cook lunch for you for taking care of me yesterday. I hope you don't mind if I stay here for a while," 

"Of course I don't mind,"

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Nino ended up spending the whole day in Ohno's house. He borrowed one of Ohno's t-shirt and pants before cooking lunch for both of them. The rain still didn't stop after they had their lunch, so Ohno urged him to stay until it stopped. Nino gladly received the offer as he had his laptop with him so he could play games. Ohno, on the other hand, was doing some work on his computer. 

They didn't notice when the rain stopped because both are too absorbed in their activity. When Nino realised it wasn't raining anymore, he reluctantly started to pack his stuff, but Ohno stopped him. He invited him to stay for the night as it was almost dinner time. Once again, Nino gladly accepted the offer. Yes, he missed his house, but Ohno's home was equally comfortable. 

They were preparing dinner together when someone rang the bell. Seeing Ohno was busy cooking his stew, Nino offered to check the door for him. He opened the door only to be surprised that the person he tried to avoid was standing in front of him, equally surprised to see him. 

"J," he called the name softly. The guy’s name was Jun. Surprised to see Nino there, Jun checked the surrounding. 

"What are you doing here, Nino?" Asked Jun. "This is Ohno kun's house, right?" 

Jun checked the house number repeatedly to make sure he was in the right place. Nino was saved from answering when Ohno stood next to him. 

"Matsujun, why didn’t you tell me you’re coming?" asked Ohno. Nino scooted a bit from the door to allow Jun to enter the house. 

"I call you many times. But you didn't answer. So, I decided to visit you as I was nearby," answered Jun once he was inside. He looked at both of them suspiciously. 

"I was busy with work," was Ohno's short reply. Jun shrugged him off like he already used to the excuse.

"I'll bring a drink for you," said Nino, trying to get away from his current situation. As he left for the kitchen, he could hear Jun asked Ohno how they know each other, but he didn't listen to the answer from Ohno. 

"Brat, you didn't tell me you work in Ohno Corporation. I thought you are still working at your old place,"

"I didn't?" Nino replied stupidly. Honestly, he was aware that Jun didn’t know about it. When Nino resigned from his old company, he decided to put everything behind, including Jun. He wanted to start a new life, without thinking so much about Jun. But, of course, he failed. Jun is still in his mind.

"So, why are you here?" Asked Ohno. Nino was thankful for that. It reminded Jun of the real reason he came here. 

"Ah," Jun took out a card from his bag. Without looking at its content, Nino knew what it was. "I'm getting married, Ohno Kun," 

"Congratulations," said Ohno as he received the card from Jun. It sounded sincere, unlike the way Nino said it yesterday.

"Thank you. Your card is not with me, Nino. If I know you will be here; I will bring the card with me," 

"It's okay. You can give me another time," 

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Invited Ohno. Jun shook his head as a response. 

"Nope. I don't want to bother you on your date," 

Hearing that, both Nino and Ohno looked at each other in confusion while Jun laughed at them.

"Date? We're not dating," denied Nino. 

"Oh, really?" Answered Jun. "You guys look like a sweet domestic couple, wearing a matching apron and preparing dinner together,"

"Eh... But, we're just..." Nino was at a loss for words. Because he also didn't know why he was staying at Ohno's house for too long. 

"We're just doing our work," answered Ohno. His face was crimson red, and Nino guessed his face was similar. He wondered how Ohno felt to be the subject of gossip with him. In the office, Nino was the only one being teased by other workers because no one dared to say it to Ohno. So, he assumed Ohno wasn't aware of the gossip in the office. 

"Okay, okay," said Jun, giving them a soft smile. The same smile that made Nino love him, even more, each day. "Sorry to jump into conclusion. But, I think you guys look cute together. Don't take it seriously, okay," 

Nino and Ohno stayed silent.

"But if you guys end up together, don't forget to thank me," said Jun teasingly. "Well, I better go now," 

After he left, both Nino and Ohno stared at each other in awkward silence. No one dared to say anything. 

"Sorry," Nino said first, and Ohno shook his head. 

"What are you sorry for?"

"I don't know. J thought of us as something we're not. Maybe it’s my fault," He let out the name before he could notice. But, when he looked at Ohno's face, maybe Ohno didn't think Jun was the person Nino was talking about when he was drunk yesterday.

"It's okay. It's not the first time people thought we're together," said Ohno. Nino's eyes were wide in surprise. 

"Do you mean... You know about the gossip?" 

"Of course. I overheard it sometimes. People said you are my favourite and maybe it's because we're together. But, I think your work and attitude shows why you are my favourite," 

Nino didn't know how to respond to that. Indirectly, Ohno had complimented his work. 

"You're not mad at them?" 

"Not really. Maybe because I hope it is true," said Ohno. He looked serious. Nino looked at him in disbelief. But, after a while, he started to laugh. 

"You're so funny," he said. His boss must be joking. There's no way he was interested in Nino. Not after what he told Nino about his love story. He was proven correct when his boss laughed along. 

"I better get back to my stew," said Ohno. "You're still staying tonight, right?"

"Yes. You promised to watch that horror movie with me. I've been dreading to watch it for a long time," 

"Who knows. Maybe you're the one who is uncomfortable with the gossip,"

Nino didn't say anything. To be honest, he wasn't sure how he felt about the gossip. But, he tried not to overthink about it. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


|   
---|---


	2. Chapter 2

"So, where did you go on the weekend?" Asked Aiba, his neighbour. He came to Nino's house to eat dinner together as his boyfriend will be home late.

Aiba was his best friend since childhood. He practically spent his entire life with Aiba. Initially, Aiba was his roommate, but after he got a boyfriend, he moved out to the house next to his. He would come to Nino's house almost every day except weekends because he knew Nino would be occupied with his games and wouldn't want anyone to bother him. 

"Nowhere," answered Nino. "What did you cook today?"

"Omurice," said Aiba. "Don't lie. I know you're not at home,"

"How do you know I'm not at home? Maybe I was just ignoring you," 

He wasn't in the mood to answer Aiba. His focus was on the game he played.

"Instinct," said Aiba. Nino paused his game and gave Aiba a suspicious look before continuing with his game. 

"I heard you unlocked the door on Sunday," answered Aiba truthfully. "I want to ask you at that time, but Sho chan said I shouldn't bother you yet,"

Nino didn't answer, which made Aiba a little annoyed at him. 

"Nino," he heard Aiba called him. 

"Let me finish this level first. Then I will stop," said Nino. 

So, Aiba let him complete the level without any disturbance. It took him about 20 minutes to finish the stage, and when he did, he let out a cry of victory. Then he switched off his console before giving his attention to the plate of omurice in front of him. 

"It smells nice," said Nino, then he took a bite. The taste was as good as the smell. 

"So, where did you go?" Asked Aiba once again. 

"To a friend's house," answered Nino. He practically told Aiba almost everything about him. The only thing that Aiba didn't know was about his feeling for Jun. 

"Matsujun?" Asked Aiba. Nino shook his head, which made Aiba give him a questioning look. Aiba knew he wasn't the type to have a lot of friends. In fact, Aiba and Jun are the only close friends he had. Now, Sho was added into his circle after he got together with Aiba. Nino didn't interact personally with his colleague at work. The closest person to him in the office was Ohno, even before he spent the night at the other guy's house.

"A friend from work," 

"Ohchan?" Aiba asked. Nino nodded his head. He talked about Ohno with Aiba a few times. They never met, but he believed they would be the best friend if they met. 

"Where is Sho?" Asked Nino. 

"Going out with his friend. Ne, do you like Ohchan?"

Nino looked at his friend sceptically, wondering why he asked a question like that. 

"He is just my friend. Even if I like him, he is out of my reach. Didn't I tell you he is my boss? Why do you ask..." 

Nino stopped his question. He was horrified with a sudden realisation. For the past few weeks, Aiba kept telling him about Sho's friend. Hmmm… Nino had a bad feeling about this. Was Aiba trying to play matchmaker for him and Sho's friend? 

"It's not going to work, okay. I don't want you to introduce me to Sho's friend. I don't even know his name," 

"But you will look cute together. Because both of you are cute," 

"I can be cute by myself. I don't need someone else to be cute with me,"

"But.."

Aiba didn't dare to continue when Nino gave him a deadly glare. He kept his mouth shut and continued eating in silence... 

But… a few minutes later, 

"Matsujun is getting married!" Announced Aiba happily. Nino flinched for a second to be reminded of the happy news. Well, joyous news for everyone else, not for him, though. 

"I know. I am the first person he informed," said Nino, trying to look cheerful. But, Aiba looked at him with a sad smile, as if he knew what Nino really felt. 

"Ne, Nino, it's okay if you're not happy with the news,"

"What do you mean? Of course, I am happy for Jun," Nino tried to deny. 

"I am not stupid. I know you love Jun, more than just a friend," 

"No, I am not,"

"I know you more than you know yourself. You can deny it, but you are aware of the truth. It's not good to live in denial. One day, you will have to face it, and maybe that's the only way you can move on," 

Nino kept silent. He knew what Aiba said was right. But, there’s no use to admit it. He already knew the answer. 

"The choice is yours but, remember, I will always be here for you," 

"Except when your Sho chan needs you," said Nino. He tried to avoid talking about this by being bratty. It was the only way to hide his sadness. 

"That's not true. I will try my best to be there for both of you. You and Sho chan are very precious for me," said Aiba, pouting. 

"I know. Thank you, Aiba chan,” He said sincerely. “For being my friend," 

Words alone cannot describe how thankful he was for having Aiba. He knew the real reason Aiba wanted to stay in this apartment though both he and Sho can get a better place. Aiba stayed because he was worried about Nino, and Nino was grateful for that. Without Aiba, he will be alone. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Nino," called a voice. Nino turned his attention from the computer screen to the person sitting next to him. It was Miyake Ken, who had just arrived for work. 

"Yes, Ken-chan," he said to Miyake. 

"I think your boyfriend is sick. He looked so pale and tired when I saw him in the elevator just now," informed Miyake.

Nino was worried to hear that. Of course, the person meant by Miyake is their boss, Ohno. But, he didn't want to show his worry, knowing that Miyake will tease him even more for that. After all, Miyake was the first person to tease him with Ohno. 

"I'm sure he can take care of himself," said Nino. Whatever Miyake said was ignored by him. His work deserved more attention.

But, he cannot focus on his work. So, without thinking, he went upstairs to make sure Ohno was okay. Before he left, he could hear Miyake laugh.

When he reached the floor where Ohno's office was, no one was around. Perhaps Ohno's secretary was in his office. He walked towards Ohno's office and knocked on the door. A soft voice asked him to enter. 

When he entered the room, Ohno was sitting at his table, looking pale, just like what Miyake described. His secretary, Oshima, was sitting across him with a notepad. 

"That would be all, Oshima san," said Ohno, dismissing his secretary from the office. The secretary walked passed him, and it was apparent she was trying to stifle a giggle. 

"What's wrong, Nino?" Asked Ohno once the secretary closed the door. 

Nino turned his attention back to his boss. He walked closer to the boss to have a proper look at him. He looked sick. Even his soft smile couldn't make his face look lively. 

"Are you okay?" Asked Nino. 

"I'm okay. Why?" Asked his boss softly. Even his voice didn't seem okay at all. 

"Miyake san said you are sick. So, I came here because I was worried about you," 

He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt shy with his action. The way he rushed here to see Ohno seemed to indicate there was something between them, even though he was doing it because he was worried for his friend. 

"Don't worry. I am just tired. I already see a doctor. He asked me to rest," 

"So, why are you still here? You should go home and rest," 

"I can still handle this. Don't worry, okay," said Ohno. He smiled reassuringly at Nino. Nino didn't say anything. He simply excused himself from the office. 

"Thanks, Nino," said the boss before he left. 

When he got back to his workstation, Miyake was smiling teasingly at him. He ignored the smile and continued with his work, knowing that he can focus more after seeing Ohno.

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Hi, brat," 

Nino froze at first. He couldn't believe what he heard. Was it just his imagination? Slowly, he lifted his head to confirm his fear. As expected, Jun stood in front of him, with Ohno by his side. 

It was a relief to see that Ohno was better than before. He still looked tired, but at least colours had returned to his face, making him look better than before. 

"Jun-pon," he responded. He avoided calling Jun with J or diva so that Ohno wouldn't know that Jun was the guy he loves. 

"Urgh... I hate that name," complained Jun. 

"Nino," said his boss softly. Nino was glad to hear the voice, which distracted him from focusing on Jun. To be honest, he didn't know how to face Jun without feeling bitter towards him. Nino knew Jun was not at fault. He wasn't responsible for making him fall in love with Jun, but he still couldn't forget his feeling for Jun. That's why he can't help but feel awkward whenever Jun was around. 

"Meet us at the front desk in 20 minutes," informed his boss. Nino nodded his head, though all he wanted to do was hiding from Jun. But, of course, he cannot do that.

Soon after his boss left, Miyake, being nosy as he always was, asked him about Jun. 

"Who is that?" Asked Miyake. "How do you know him?"

"He is my friend," answered Nino simply. "Know him from school," 

"Why is he here?" Asked Miyake again. 

"Don't know," said Nino. "Don't bother me. I need to finish this and then meet our boss," 

"Okay okay. Later you will tell me what happened, okay," 

Nino ignored him. There's no way he is going to tell Miyake anything. 

Twenty minutes passed quickly. Nino saved the file first before standing up and trying to gather the courage to see Jun again. Why is he here? Nino found himself asking the question many times as he did his work just now. He turned to look at the guy next to him. Miyake was grinning idiotically at him, and he ignored him. He walked faster than usual, afraid that if he delayed this, he would no longer have the courage to see Jun.

Jun and Ohno were already at the front desk, waiting for him. Jun was talking on the phone when he arrived and waved his hand when he saw Nino. Nino waved back. Seeing that Jun was busy on the phone, he approached Ohno first. 

"Sorry," said Ohno when he stood next to him. It surprised him. Why did Ohno apologise to him? "For taking your precious time from work," 

Oh. For that. 

"It's okay. You're my boss. Of course, I have to follow your order as long as it is reasonable," said Nino. "What is this about?" 

"Jun wants to use your expertise. He needs you to design software for him. It's okay if you want to reject," 

Nino contemplated that. It was tempting to reject the offer. After all, working on a project with Jun as his client may not be a good idea. But, he needed to be professional. So, reluctantly, he agreed. 

"Of course I want to do this! Though I know, he is quite a fussy client," 

"That is not something you should say about your client," said Jun as he finished his call. 

"Sorry," he said playfully. He tried his hardest to be like his usual self with Jun. 

"Apologies accepted. Let's discuss this during lunch," 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The meeting went smoothly. Maybe because it was for work, it wasn't as awkward as Nino thought it's going to be. They were in professional mode. So, neither of them joke around like they usually did. The only problem was...

It made Nino fall deeper in love with Jun. He just loves this kind of responsible Jun so much. The way he cared about his work, the attitude he had towards his work. It was like Jun was casting a love spell towards him each time he saw this kind of Jun. 

"Well, Nino, let's see if you're as brilliant as what your boss claimed you to be," said Jun once they wrapped up their meeting. Nino turned to look at Ohno who blinked in surprise to hear what Jun had said. 

"He brags about you all the time," said Jun, mouthing the word instead of saying it out loud and pointed at Ohno, whose face turned red. 

"He keeps talking about his amazing software developer. I don't know it was you at that time," said Jun, louder this time. "Okay, guys, I have to go now. See you later,"

Jun left almost immediately, leaving both of them in silence. 

"Thank you for your trust in me," said Nino. He wondered why Ohno thought so highly of him. He wasn’t that good to be complimented by Ohno. "Let's go back to the office," 

Nino looked at the watch and noticed it was almost 4:30. To be honest, he wasn't in the mood to go back to the office, knowing that Miyake will bother him. 

"Shall we ditch work today?" Blurted Ohno. Nino looked at him in surprise. It was as if Ohno read his mind. 

"You can. I can't. I'm just an employee," 

"If your employer allows you to do so?" 

"Still... It is very irresponsible,"

"Okay, then. How about this? You have your laptop with you, right? Do your work here then let's go to the aquarium after office hour," 

Nino was... He didn't know how to describe his feeling when his boss gave him that suggestion. But, he was even more surprised to find himself attracted to the idea. Going to the aquarium, ha? Sounds interesting. Furthermore, it would be a waste of time to travel back to the office, so maybe it is better to stay here and finish his work first.

"You really want to go to the aquarium? Shouldn't you rest at home? You still look sick,"

He asked once again for confirmation. However, he didn't expect Ohno to pout.

"I want to look at fish. They are my happy pills. I don't need rest. I need fish," said Ohno in a childish manner. Nino was stunned to see his boss like this. He was no longer the charismatic boss he always admired. Ohno was like a little child begging his parents to fulfil his desire. Without realising it, he laughed at his boss, who in return, became aware of what he was doing. 

"Ah, I'm sorry. That was a little embarrassing," said Ohno. He tried to avoid eye contact with Nino as he apologised. 

"You are so cute," said Nino. "Okay, let me finish my work first. Then we will go to the aquarium," 

And he couldn't think of anything cuter when Ohno beamed with happiness when he agreed to go out with him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


"You like fish so much," remarked Nino. 

They had just finished their aquarium tour. As they were both hungry, they decided to walk towards the nearby McDonald's for dinner. 

"They are cute," said Ohno. 

Nino never knows Ohno loves the fish. From their visit to the aquarium, he found out that Ohno has a lot of hobbies and one of them was fishing. However, Ohno didn't have time to go fishing nowadays because of his hectic schedule. That is why he wanted to go to the aquarium to look at the fish. And as Ohno said before, fish is indeed his happy pill. He became brighter as they toured the aquarium together, throwing facts about various kinds of fish to Nino. Nino himself was surprised to know that he enjoyed their aquarium visit though he always thought it was rather dull and a waste of money to visit an aquarium before. 

"Ah, my friend is here," said Ohno when they entered the restaurant. As Nino was still scanning the place to look for an empty seat, he didn't notice Ohno was dragging him. 

"Aiba chan!" Said Ohno. 

Hearing that, Nino immediately looked at Ohno's friend only to be surprised to see his friend there, sitting with Sho. Aiba and Sho were equally surprised to see him. 

"Both of you know each other?" Asked Aiba.

"Of course they know each other. They work in the same place. But, I was surprised to see how close they are," said Sho. He pointed at their hands, and both of them immediately released the other's hand when they noticed it. 

"What are you guys doing here?" He asked both of them, taking a seat next to Aiba. Ohno followed suit by sitting next to Sho. "Isn't it far from our apartment?" 

"I have an appointment around here. Aiba wanted to eat outside today, so I asked him to come here," explained Sho.

"Ohchan," said Aiba softly. Ohno turned to face him, and it made Nino wonder how close they are. In the first place, how do they know each other? "Have you seen the video I sent you?" 

"The puppies? I've watched it! They are so cute," said Ohno. 

"Very cute," Aiba laughed merrily. Nino watched the way he smiled. Aiba made eye contact with him, and it made him realise something. Sho's friend that Aiba wanted to introduce to him is Ohno. He pretended to ask whether Ohno and Nino knew each other just now. He knew the answer already. That's why he grinned stupidly at Nino right now. 

"I'll buy food. What do you want, Nino?" Ohno volunteered. Nino simply told him to buy a cheeseburger for him. 

"You know that my boss is Sho's friend, right?" Asked Nino once Ohno was far from them. 

"Of course! I love seeing both of you. It proves that you and he look cute together," 

"Are you trying to be a matchmaker, Masaki?" Asked Sho. "No wonder you asked me about Satoshi Kun’s workplace," 

"I love hanging out with Ohchan. Then, I thought he would look cute with Nino. But, Nino keeps talking about his boss. It was a miracle when I suddenly thought his boss is the same person as your friend," explained Aiba. "I was excited to know that and even more excited to see them on a date today," 

"What?" Said Nino in a loud voice. Everyone near him looked at his direction. He apologised and then said in a low voice to Aiba. "We're not dating," 

Aiba was about to counter his statement. But, before he could even say anything, Sho interrupted them. 

"Don't force their relationship, Masaki," said Sho. He sounded stern, which caused Aiba to pout. Nino was thankful for having Sho to control Aiba. He knew his friend could be quite stubborn. 

"Satoshi Kun already..." Sho stopped talking quite immediately. He frowned his face as if he was thinking about something before he glanced at Ohno. Then he stared at Nino for a moment before he opened his eyes widely. Sho nodded his head a few times as if he had just discovered something interesting before he continued what he was about to say. 

"Satoshi Kun has someone that he likes,"

Almost immediately, Nino remembered what Ohno told him the other day. About his love story though it was very brief. It seemed that Sho knew about the story. Maybe he can dig the story from Sho later. It wasn't appropriate to do so, but he was curious to know. Would Sho answer if he asked about it?

"Why are you looking at me like that just now?" Asked Nino as he remembered Sho's weird action before. 

"Just thinking if it could be you," answered Sho. 

The answer offended Nino. Sho seemed to dismiss the idea that Ohno might like him. He wasn't hurt because he fancied Ohno, but he was annoyed because Sho thought Ohno wouldn’t like him. But, who was Nino to complain? He knew that he wasn't the kind of person that people will like, in a romantic way. 

"Here you go," said Ohno when he came back with two sets of the cheeseburger. 

"I thought you're going to get fillet o' fish,” teased Nino. Ohno only smiled shyly at him while mumbling something that sounded like enough fish for today. 

"Ohchan, there is a new dessert cafe near my house. Let's go and try it tonight," said Aiba. Upon hearing that, Ohno's face brightened up, and he immediately agreed. 

"Nino, Sho chan, let's go together," 

Aiba invited both of them to go along. Nino wanted to refuse but looking at Ohno's puppy eyes, he grudgingly agreed. Urghhh, he hated himself when he couldn't refuse other people. Usually, Nino was immune to most people. Only Aiba and Jun can make him do something he dislikes. But, today, Ohno also had a way to make him unable to refuse, and Nino hated that. He hated it, even more, when Aiba looked at him triumphantly, showing that whatever Sho told him before did not affect Aiba. He was still going to be a matchmaker. 

They finished their dinner and headed to the dessert cafe Aiba was talking about earlier. They spoke even more in the cafe and from the conversation, he discovered that Ohno was Sho's friend from school. Aiba and Ohno were close because of their love for sweets, and sometimes they went out together just to eat dessert. 

"You're not jealous?" Asked Nino to Sho. 

"Is there anything to be jealous of? I know Aiba loves me. Furthermore, I joined them sometimes," answered Sho. 

"We also go to the gym together. We eat a lot of sweets, so we also need to train our body. Do you want to join us? Do you want to be a member of the sweets club and muscle club?" Asked Aiba. It seemed like an innocent question, but Nino knew his real reason. He just wanted to create more chances for Nino to spend time with Ohno. 

"No, thanks. I am busy with my games club," Nino turned down the offer. Hearing his answer, Aiba narrowed his eyes at him to protest. Ohno, on the other hand, looked indifferent as he looked at his watch. 

"Well, I have to go first," said Ohno, finishing his coffee. "It's getting late," 

"Are you going to be okay to go home alone?" Asked Nino. Ohno looked healthier than this morning, but he was still worried. 

"Yes, don't worry," answered Ohno. 

"Maybe you can stay at my house tonight. I can look after you," said Nino before he could stop himself. "You can borrow my clothes to go to work tomorrow. But, it wasn't expensive suits like yours,"

Nino wondered if he would regret the decision. Miyake would tease him if he saw they come to the office together tomorrow.

"It's okay. I don't want to bother you," said Ohno. "Also, I have to leave early tomorrow. I need to go to Osaka,"

"Hmm... Okay," said Nino. He felt a bit disappointed to see Ohno's retreating figure, and he didn't even know why. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


He didn't see Ohno for a week after that night. The next time he met Ohno was when he dropped by Aiba's house to bother him. It was Saturday night, and he was bored because he didn't have any new games to play. He knocked on Aiba's house but was disappointed when Sho told him that Aiba wasn't around, but he will be back soon. So, without thinking, he decided to wait for Aiba in Sho's house, bothering the other guy who was reading a boring book. 

But, Sho was a smart guy. Knowing that Nino wanted to bother him because he was bored, he decided to talk about the book he was reading, in the hope that it would make Nino give up on annoying him. So, in the end, he let Sho read the book in silence as he checked his phone. 

He didn't have to wait for Aiba for a long time. After twenty minutes of waiting, Aiba came home, bringing Ohno with him. 

"Ah, Nino! What are you doing here?" Asked Aiba excitedly. "I thought it's your game night,"

"I completed the game," answered Nino simply.

"Online games?" 

"Not in the mood to play that," said Nino. "Where did you go?" 

"Club activity," 

"Sweets or muscle?" 

"Muscle," said Aiba. "Have you had your dinner?" 

Nino shook his head. Truthfully, he came here to get free food. And he was glad to see both Aiba and Ohno brought bags of food home. 

"Good! I was about to call you. We're going to have a party tonight," announced Aiba. At the same time, someone rang the bell, and Sho excused himself to get the door. When he came back, Jun was behind him, much to Nino's dismay. What a lousy friend he was, for being unhappy to see his friend. 

"Brat, you are here! I thought we would have to drag you out of your house," said Jun when he saw Nino. Nino only smiled awkwardly at him, not knowing exactly how to react. He started to regret his decision to come here. 

"Nino, can you help me with the plates?" Asked Ohno. Nino nodded his head. Silently, he thanked Ohno. The guy was always his saviour whenever he didn't know what to do each time he saw Jun. 

He went to the kitchen to get the plates. When he came back, Aiba and Jun were chatting animatedly while Sho and Ohno were taking the food out from the bag. 

"Here you go," said Nino, approaching his boss. Ohno smiled softly at him as he took the plates from him. He didn't notice everyone else was watching them until Jun teased him again. 

"Are you sure you're not dating? You are more lovey-dovey than these two,"

"We're just putting the food on the plates! How could it be lovey-dovey?" Nino reasoned. He wondered why people kept thinking he was dating Ohno when they were just doing normal things. 

"Awww. Next time I will record both of you, and you can see the way both of you looked at each other. It was the look of love, right, Aiba chan?" countered Jun. Aiba simply nodded his head, happy to have someone supported him. 

"Matsujun, don't tease Nino anymore," said Ohno in a stern voice. It had an impact on Jun who stopped grinning idiotically at them. He immediately changed the topic and started talking about his wedding. Upon hearing them talking about the wedding, Nino had a mixed emotion. He was happy that he was no longer the centre of their attention. But, he was also heartbroken to hear Jun planning his future. A future without him in it. 

He felt like a loner listening to Jun. Of course, he barely heard anything as he was deep in his thought, thinking that he would be alone at the end. Aiba will be with Sho. Jun will be with his wife. How about him? Alone till the end of his life. 

Suddenly, a warm, soft hand touched his shoulder. He turned to his side, to look at the person sitting next to him. It was Ohno. He was smiling softly at him. Nino stared at the other guy, and, for a moment, he felt he was alone with Ohno. He could not hear Aiba's giggle nor Jun's or Sho's voice. Only him and Ohno. 

Then, the realisation dawned on him. Ohno knew all along that Jun was the person he loved. It wasn't a mere coincidence that Ohno had saved him from Jun. He knew Nino was uncomfortable whenever Jun was around. Ohno was always there to distract Nino from focusing on his feeling for Jun so that it won't be too awkward between them. He remembered being puzzled when Ohno apologised to him when Jun appeared unannounced in the office a few days ago. It wasn't for taking his time from work. It was because he made Nino face Jun when he wasn't ready. 

Ohno slowly touched his hand. He seemed unsure with his action, so Nino gripped his hand tightly, showing his gratefulness for what Ohno had done to him. He wasn't alone. Ohno was with him. Maybe not till the end of his life. But, he wanted to treasure this moment of having someone silently supported him. 

A warm, affectionate feeling enveloped him. And that's when he realised something else. 

He has fallen in love with Ohno. 


	3. Chapter 3

Nino could not sleep. He was confused.

The reason?

Well, it's obvious, isn't it? He wasn't sure of his feeling anymore. For years, he had been in love with Jun. However, now, he realized, he was in love with Ohno. How could that be? Maybe, he was wrong… 

But, if what he felt for his boss wasn't love what else could it be? A rebound love, perhaps? 

He stared at the guy who was sleeping next to him. On a separate futon. All five of them ended up sleeping at Aiba's house. Nino could easily go to his own house but he was too lazy to move so he joined the sleepover as well. Aiba and Sho were sleeping together in a futon while Jun declared the couch as his sleeping spot. 

Nino felt like a stalker with the way he stared at Ohno while the others were sleeping. He cannot take his eyes off him. It just... Soothed him, he guessed, as he looked at Ohno's peaceful face. 

"Am I in love with you?" He found himself asking the question to no one. It was his inner voice. If he was indeed in love with Ohno, what should he do? Should he confess? Will Ohno love him if he confesses? Or, would things be awkward between them if he confessed?

As he thought of that, there was a soft buzzing sound. It was Ohno's phone. He didn't mean to peek but he cannot stop himself. There was a message for Ohno and he read it. He regretted it almost immediately. But, there was nothing he could do about it. He cannot unsee what he had seen.

'Satoshi honey, are you sleeping?'

He let out a sigh. How could he be this stupid? How could he, for one second, think that he could be with Ohno? Ohno is a successful young man. True, Ohno might not be lucky with his love before this, but that doesn't mean he isn't with anyone right now. This message served as proof that Ohno already has someone special. Sho was the person closest to Ohno and he already warned Aiba not to force Nino and Ohno's relationship. It must be because he knew Ohno already dated someone. After all, no matter how close they seem to be, no matter how many people thought they look cute together, there was still an invisible boundary between them and it wasn't something that he can destroy easily. 

What a stupid person he is!

And, now, what Ohno said before resounded in his head. 

Because his second love story just ended before it could even start. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Luckily, he noticed his feeling for Ohno earlier this time. So, it meant there was still time to avoid falling deeper in love with Ohno. All he had to do is to spend less time with Ohno. 

But, easier said than done.

The first month was easy. Ohno wasn't in Tokyo. He went to Osaka for a business trip. When he was back from the trip, he was rarely in the office so Nino didn't have to see him. 

"Nino~~" Ohno sing-sang his name when he suddenly appeared in front of his house on a Saturday. Nino opened the door without expecting to see him so he looked at him weirdly. "Aiba invited you to watch a movie with us," 

"What movie?" Nino regretted his tone almost immediately. He sounded too eager to join Ohno. Probably because he was too excited to see him. He cannot deny it. He really missed the other guy. 

"The greatest showman," answered Ohno. 

"Oh," remembering that he had to avoid Ohno, he rejected the offer. "I would love to join but I already watch the movie," 

"Me too. But I love the movie so I've been watching it again and again. Let's watch it together,"

"Maybe next time. I have my games club activity to do," said Nino, pointing at his living room where his game console was switched on. "I didn't know that you have a movie club now," 

Ohno simply laughed at his lame joke.

"Okay, enjoy your game night," 

It was easy to avoid Ohno at that time. 

But, for the next one, it was very extremely difficult and troublesome as well as challenging to avoid Ohno. It may sound like he was exaggerating but tell him how he could avoid Ohno when they spent 10 days together in LA. 

In the same room. 

J, being the diva, organized his wedding reception in LA. So, Sho suggested they had their vacation there. Nino simply agreed because he wanted to get away from work and it was before he realized he was in love with Ohno. But now… it seemed like the worst idea because he had to share a room with Ohno. 

They arrived late at night. Once they arrived in the hotel room, Nino immediately went to sleep. He had a terrible headache as well as a fever. His friends noticed how sick he was and advised him to simply rest. 

Nino thought his fever would go away after the rest. But, he was wrong. When he woke up the next morning, he could feel his temperature was still high. 

"Sho chan," he heard Ohno's soft voice talking on the phone. "Nino is still sick. I think we will not join you today. I will take care of Nino," 

Nino was horrified to hear that. Ohno wanted to take care of him? That's bad news. He didn't want to be left alone with Ohno. 

"Don't do that. Just go and enjoy yourself. I can take care of Nino," said Ohno, ending the phone call. 

Without thinking, Nino stood up to show that he was fine. But, it was a bad move. He only walked for a few steps before his headache returned. It caused him to stumble near the bed and it alerted Ohno that he was awake. Ohno immediately ran to his bed to see what happened. 

"Nino, do you want anything? I can get for you," asked Ohno as he carried him back to the bed. Nino couldn't help but blush to be carried in a princess style by Ohno. 

"Whattimeisitnow?" Asked Nino. He wondered if Ohno heard what he was saying because even he himself was not sure. 

"What did you say?" Asked Ohno once again. He put his palm on Nino's forehead. "Nino, you're burning. I'll call the doctor,"

Ohno was about to get his phone but Nino stopped him. 

"It'sokay. It'snotbad," mumbled Nino. 

"You can't even talk properly," said Ohno as he swiped the bang that was covering Nino's eyes. 

"Just rest," once again, Ohno tried to get away but Nino pulled his hand and made space on his bed. Ohno seemed to understand what he was trying to do and he climbed on the bed. Immediately, Nino hugged him once he was beside him. He felt a lot warmer when Ohno returned the hug. He blamed his fever for being this clingy. 

Just this time. He won't do this again. Just let him feel like he was loved. Only this time. He kept reminding himself that as he fell asleep once again. 

  
  
  
  
  


"Nino, wake up," Ohno's soft voice woke him up from his sleep. He opened his eyes to see Ohno's beautiful eyes staring at him. Being shy to be stared at like that, Nino immediately rose from his lying position. Thankfully, his headache wasn't as bad as before so he managed to sit properly beside Ohno.

"Sorry," he apologized. 

"It's okay," answered Ohno. "Are you sure you don't want me to call the doctor? You are still burning," 

Nino shook his head. He hated seeing a doctor. He hated eating medicine. So, each time he was sick, he would only rest without seeing a doctor. 

"Okay. I'll call the room service to bring food then,"

Nino wanted to protest. He didn't have any appetite to eat. But, Ohno was looking at him sternly to show that he won't take no as an answer. 

As soon as Ohno ended the call for the room service, someone knocked on their door. Nino looked at Ohno confusedly, wondering who came to their room. It can't be room service because it's too early. 

Ohno went to open the door and Nino could hear voices talking. But, he cannot hear clearly whose voice it was so he still didn't know who came until Jun appeared with Ohno behind him 

"Are you okay, Nino?" Asked Jun, pulling a chair to sit near Nino. 

Nino nodded his head. Silently, he was thankful for Jun to come. It's irony to think that he used to be thankful to Ohno when he was alone with Jun. Now, he was thankful for having Jun when he was alone with Ohno. 

"I bet you didn't call the doctor," said Jun. He looked at Ohno for an answer and the other guy confirmed it with a nod. 

"Take a rest, okay. I have to postpone my wedding tomorrow if you're not there," said Jun. Nino tried to laugh but it's too hard so he only gave him a smile. 

"Do you mind taking care of Nino while I take a bath? The room service should be here soon," asked Ohno. 

"Sure. Don't worry. I used to take care of Nino when he was sick. It was common for Nino to be sick when we travelled to another country," said Jun. Nino glared at him for telling Ohno about that but Jun ignored his glare. 

He was then being left alone with Jun. It was weird to think that he didn't feel awkward being left with Jun this time. Was it too soon for him to move on from his feeling for Jun when he realized he was in love with Ohno? 

"Don't waste your chance this time, okay, brat," said Jun. Nino gave him a questioning look because he didn't understand what his friend was talking about. 

"You like him, right?" Asked Jun softly. Nino wanted to deny but... Well, he ended up nodding his head, knowing that it would be futile to deny. 

Jun stared at him for a few seconds. He looked like he wanted to say something but he stayed silent for a few minutes. He finally started talking again after sighing. 

"I have something to tell you," said Jun. Once again, Nino gave him a questioning look, wondering what he was going to tell him. 

However, Jun didn't tell him straight away. He seemed to hesitate. Nino didn't want to force him so he stayed quiet until Jun was ready. 

"I know about your feeling," 

Nino's eyes were wide in surprise to hear that. He didn't want to look at his own face, knowing that it would be red because of the embarrassment. 

"It wasn't too subtle, you know. It wasn't your expression that made me know. You're quite good with a poker face. It was more to your gesture and the way you blushed whenever I was near you. I thought that I may be imagining it at first. We fought all the time so it was impossible for you to love me. But, when you started to avoid me after I started dating Mao-chan, I was certain that you love me," 

Nino couldn't bring himself to look at Jun. He kept staring at the bed. 

"I thought it would be good if I pretend not to notice it. I thought it will be better if I let you avoid me. I'm afraid that if I reject you directly, you don't want to be my friend anymore. I didn't know that I cause you more pain by doing that,"

Why did Jun suddenly talk about that? Nino had no idea.

"I don't know why I want to talk about this now. Maybe because you're finally alone with me. Nino, I'm sorry. I don't love you," 

Nino was shocked. But, he wasn't shocked because he was rejected. He was shocked because, somehow, hearing the rejection made him feel... How should he describe it? Lighter, maybe?

"I want you to be happy. So, if you love someone, please let him know, okay?" 

Jun cocked his head towards the direction of the bathroom where Ohno was taking his bath. Nino gave him a smile. No, he won't let Ohno know about it. He couldn't bear to hear the rejection from Ohno, knowing that the guy already has someone. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Nino felt a lot better in the evening. The headache was gone and his body wasn't as hot as before. The food and sleep had helped him to feel healthy again. And of course, he had regained his energy thanks to the way Ohno was taking care of him. 

Aiba and Sho came to visit him after they were done with sightseeing. Aiba came to his room telling Ohno and Sho the story about how bad he was each time he was sick. He even told them how Nino screamed when he and Jun forced him to eat medicine. He only glared at Aiba as he watched how the others were laughing. Silently, he vowed to plot revenge when he was better. 

"So, where do you want to eat?" Asked Ohno when they were getting ready to go out. As he was feeling better, he decided to eat outside with Aiba and Sho. 

"Anything," was Nino's short answer. 

He noticed how Ohno flinched for a moment when Nino answered him lazily. He barely spoke anything to Ohno. He could use his health as the reason for his lack of enthusiasm to talk with Ohno. However, the visit from Aiba made him about 55% as talkative as he always was. So, Ohno would know there was something else that made him uncomfortable to be with Ohno. 

Nino knew what he did hurt Ohno. But, this is what he had to do to protect his own heart. It was hard for him to move on once he fell in love so it's better to avoid Ohno now. 

"Let's go," said Ohno. He nodded and followed Ohno from behind. 

They met Sho and Aiba as soon as they closed the door. He immediately approached Aiba so that he won't be left alone with Ohno as they walked together to the car park. Once in the car, Aiba and Sho sat in front, with Sho being the driver and both he and Ohno sat together at the back.

If there was any kind of weird tension between them, it wasn't noticeable as Aiba merrily talked. Nino joined the conversation if there was a chance to tease Aiba but Ohno remained silent. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Ohno was watching him but Nino ignored him. 

The same thing happened while they were eating. Aiba may not notice the awkward atmosphere but Sho seemed to sense it. He kept looking at both of them suspiciously. But, thankfully, he didn't say anything. 

They went straight to the hotel after dinner. Once they were inside their room, Ohno didn't wait to ask him. 

"Nino, are you angry at me?"

"Huh? No, why would I be angry at you," he pretended not to understand what Ohno meant. He hoped that Ohno won't push him to talk but Ohno seemed stubborn.

"Nino," Ohno begged. "I don't want to spend this holiday thinking that I upset you. So, if I did something wrong, just tell me, okay. I will fix it if I can," 

"Nothing..." Answered Nino. "I'm just doing this... You won't understand it. It's complicated. It's about my... feeling," 

He mumbled the last word, hoping Ohno won't hear it. 

"Feeling?"

"To protect my own heart," he blurted it out. By seeing Ohno's confused face, he bet the guy didn't understand. 

"Are you upset because of Matsujun's wedding tomorrow?" Asked Ohno, earning a furrowed eyebrow from Nino. It took him some time but he finally realized that Ohno thought he was still in love with Jun. 

"I'll be there to support you," said Ohno, holding his hand. 

To be honest, Nino loved the way Ohno's hands felt on his. But, this wasn't the time to fantasize so he pushed Ohno's hands away, which, as expected, hurt Ohno's feeling. 

When he looked at Ohno's painful expression, he remembered what Jun told him earlier today. Avoiding Ohno may not solve the problem. It didn't work on Jun so maybe if he heard the rejection from Ohno directly, it would help him to move on. After all, he owed Ohno an explanation for the way he had treated him. 

"Don't be so nice to me. It's bad for my heart,"

"I don't understand," 

Nino looked at him, still thinking whether he should confess. But, he was already halfway in confessing so with a heavy breath...

"I think I am in love with you," 

To say Ohno was shocked was an understatement. He was looking at Nino with a look full of questions. He didn't say anything, only looked at Nino with confusion in his eyes. 

"Did I hear correctly?" He asked after a long silence. 

Nino didn't answer him immediately. He was trying to think of a better way to respond. To not sound too disappointed.

"Look," Nino began. He wasn't sure what he was going to say was a good response but he had to say it anyway. "I don't want things to be awkward between us. I admit I was in love with Jun but recently... The person I dream about when I go to sleep is you. I keep imagining life with you as my partner. I enjoyed the time we spent together. I was worried when you were sick and even disappointed when you refused to stay over when I offered you. I didn't know I was in love with you until the day you hold my hand, supporting me silently when Jun was talking about his future,"

As usual, Ohno always had the power to make him express his feeling better when he was around. Once he started talking about his feeling, he cannot stop until he felt satisfied. And now he's getting to the hardest part of his confession. He's going to be rejected. And that's why he had to make Ohno understand why he wanted to keep his distance with Ohno.

"People keep saying that we look cute together, right? But, what they said didn't matter because it's our life. I know you're going to reject me because you love someone else. I cannot stand seeing you with another person. So, please, don't be too nice to me! Let's keep our relationship as a boss and his employee, okay?" 

Nino didn't realize when his tears start to flow down. Maybe since he started talking. He wanted to stop crying but he couldn't. The tears keep flowing and it made him even more embarrassed. It showed how weak he was. 

Suddenly, Ohno approached him and hugged him tightly. He stroked Nino's back softly and brought him to sit on the bed. He couldn't help but hate himself even more because he cannot push Ohno away. He still wanted Ohno to comfort him. What a weakling!

"I don't want us to be the boss and employee. I want to continue being nice with you," Ohno said with a soft smile. Nino wanted to protest but Ohno put a finger on his lips. "Because I love you too," 

This time, it was Nino's turn to be surprised. Did Ohno just say he loves him too? Or did he hear wrongly?

"What do you mean I love someone else? What makes you say that?" Asked Ohno in confusion. 

Nino blinked his eyes and with a stutter, he talked about what Sho told him before and the message he accidentally saw. To his surprise, Ohno laughed at him. 

"Naughty Nino looking at my message," said Ohno, pinching at his nose. "But, I bet you didn't see who it was from," 

Ohno then took out his phone and then seemed to search for a message before showing the message to Nino. Nino looked at the phone and saw the same message he saw before. Then, he looked at the top to see who it was from. He was embarrassed when he saw the message was from...

"My mother always calls me Satoshi honey. Sometimes she texted me in the middle of the night whenever she cannot sleep," explained Ohno. 

"Oh," was Nino's response. He didn't know what else to say to hide his embarrassment. 

"As for what Sho said, you never thought he was talking about you?" 

Nino could feel his face turned red. He immediately shook his head. He tried to remember that night. What kind of expression did Sho make when he told Nino about the person Ohno loves? His eyes were wide in surprise, remembering Sho's amused expression. Indirectly, Sho had told him that he was the person that Ohno loves but he thought Sho dismissed the idea of him being that person. 

"But... You said your love story ended before it could start," said Nino, remembering what Ohno told him before," 

"Because... You asked me a day after I listened to your love story and Matsujun. I've been in love with you for a looooong time and when I know you love another person, of course, I was heartbroken. That's why I told you that," answered Ohno. 

Hearing what Ohno said, Nino couldn't help but feel guilty for Ohno. He was very immature, it was something that he knew for a long time. Both of them had been heartbroken but the way they handled it was different. He was trying to avoid the person he loves. But, Ohno had been trying to support him, even though it was hurting him. 

"I don't deserve you," he muttered. "You're too nice," 

"Nino," said Ohno, holding his hand tightly. "I'm not nice. Maybe, some part of me was hoping that you will love me back if I was there for you. But, I want to assure you that I'm not doing it because of that. I'm doing that because I don't want to see you sad. It hurts me to see you hurt. That's why I'm trying my best to keep the smile on your face. To show that you're not alone," 

Nino didn't say anything. He simply put his head on Ohno's chest before Ohno brought both of them to lie down on his bed. 

"Let's sleep. You still need to rest. Matsujun will have to postpone the wedding if you cannot make it tomorrow," 

Nino nodded his head. He felt very comfortable to lie down next to Ohno. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Bonus**

Ohno hugged the guy who was sleeping next to him tightly. He couldn't go to sleep, afraid that he was just dreaming about this. How many times did he go to sleep hoping to have Nino next to him? Now, he finally had the guy next to him, sharing the same feeling he has for him. 

It wasn't a dream, he told himself as he watched the way Nino snuggled comfortably next to him. He kissed the guy's forehead and it stirred Nino from his sleep. He opened his eyes sleepily. 

"I thought we're going to sleep. Why are you looking at me creepily like that?" 

"Just to make sure I'm not dreaming," 

Nino smiled teasingly at him before he put his lips against Ohno's.

"That's the punishment for waking me from my sleep," said Nino sheepishly. "I love you, Ohchan," 

"I love you too, Nino," said Ohno. He couldn't believe that he could finally say the words to Nino. Maybe because Nino was still unwell, he immediately drifted to sleep while Ohno continued to stare at him. 

How long had he been in love with Nino? He cannot remember the exact moment he fell in love with Nino. At first, Ohno was attracted to the guy because of his casual way of addressing him. He admitted that it was tiring to hear people calling him Ohno san all the time. That's why he loves it when Nino calls him Ohchan and treats him as a colleague instead of an employer. Of course, the other guy was doing that because he didn't believe that Ohno was his boss. 

Ohno remembered the moment Nino found out that he wasn't lying about his identity. The look on Nino's face when he knew he was indeed the CEO of the company was so cute. Maybe that's the moment he realized he was in love with Nino. Because he wanted to look at that cute face forever. 

Once Nino found out who he really was, as expected, he was trying to act differently. But, it was so weird to hear Nino calling him Ohno san. That's why he asked the guy to continue calling him Ohchan. Nino seemed reluctant but he still obeyed. 

Ohno knew that maybe he was a bit lenient with Nino sometimes. He is Ohno's favourite but he was glad that Nino often proved that he deserved to be his favourite with his attitude and performance at work. He heard the gossip and like teenagers in love, he was excited to hear that. But, he could sense Nino wasn't comfortable with the gossip. And that's when he realized that it could be because Nino is in love with another person.

He was proven correct the night he went out for dinner with Nino. Nino looked distraught after receiving a phone call. Though he had asked Ohno to go home after dinner, he decided to follow him drinking. That's when Nino told him about Jun. Of course, he didn't know at the time the person Nino loves is someone he knows. He only knew that when Jun appeared at the doorstep and he heard Nino called the person 'J'. What made it even more obvious was because Nino appeared to be uncomfortable to see Jun. He looked at the way Nino was watching Jun. It was a look of love, perhaps matching the look he often gave Nino. There is no doubt, Jun is definitely the person he loves. 

The way he dealt with his heartbroken love story was different from Nino. He called Sho, expressing himself to his best friend who listened intently to his story. He didn't tell him who the person was, only a person from the office who had been treating him differently than the other. Sho couldn't help him to be with Nino but it was enough to have someone to listen to him. 

Ohno never thought that his best friend knew Nino. Even weirder, Sho's boyfriend is Nino's best friend. Aiba was totally insane, trying to be the matchmaker for him and Nino. He was even supported by Jun. However, it was hurtful to see the way Nino often denied the rumour and even more hurtful to see Nino distanced himself after that. 

But... He was happy today. He misunderstood the reason Nino put a distance from him. It wasn't because Nino was uncomfortable with the gossip. It was because he was in love with Ohno. It was surreal to hear the confession at first but when Nino confirmed what he heard, nothing could make him happier. 

Once again, he smiled looking at the guy next to him. Giving him one more kiss in the forehead, he joined Nino in the dreamland. 

Not long after that, Ohno woke up when he heard a knock on the door. Nino wasn't on the bed but he could hear sounds from the bathroom showing that Nino was taking a bath. Lazily, he walked to the door and opened it to see Jun, Sho and Aiba outside. They dressed casually and almost immediately, he remembered that they planned to have breakfast together. Feeling embarrassed that he wasn't ready yet, he grinned idiotically at them before inviting them inside his room. 

Nino was done with his bath the moment they stepped inside. Ohno gave him a soft smile while wondering if he should give him a kiss seeing that his friends are here. He tried to refrain himself from jumping on Nino but when the other guy approached him first, he couldn't help but kiss his forehead before giving him a kiss on his lips. He was glad when Nino returned the kiss by allowing him access to his mouth. 

He heard a yelp from his friends. He ignored them but Nino was the one who pushed him first. 

"This is not how I want to tell my friends I'm dating you," said Nino with a pout. 

"You guys are together? Yeah!!!!" Aiba screamed in joy while high five with Jun. Sho, on the other hand, gave him a pat on his back. 

"Sorry, I cannot control myself," said Ohno. 

"I'm so happy for both of you," said Jun. "But, today is my big day. So, go get ready and then you can do whatever you want after my reception," 

Ignoring what Jun said, Ohno leaned forward to give Nino one more kiss, which the other guy accepted happily.


End file.
